Nanostad Manchester United Old Trafford Stadium 3D Puzzle Review

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This 3D jigsaw puzzle replicates the football stadium Old Trafford that is located in the city of Manchester in the north of England and is home to the football team Manchester United who is one of the most famous and successful sports teams in the world. The stadium was built in 1909 and has been redeveloped and expanded a lot since and has a capacity of around 75,000 making it one of the biggest stadiums in England and the whole of Europe that has hosted many big and famous events.

The puzzle has 186 jigsaw pieces in total with the pieces being of different sizes and shapes for the different parts of the stadium like the seating or the roof of the stadium or the brick and glass exterior and it is usually pretty obvious which piece belongs to which part of the stadium. The pieces are made from a quite thin foamboard so can be bent or ripped so you have to be a little careful with them but the way you use the puzzle this shouldn't be an issue and the picture on the pieces can be peeled off or marked but again as long as you are reasonably careful with them this shouldn't be an issue.

The look of the puzzle closely resembles the real-life stadium in quite great detail although not quite an exact replica as there are some small details that are not present as it seems there has been roadwork done around Old Trafford since this jigsaw was created like a road that ran past the front entrance that isn't there anymore as it has been pedestrianised but is still present on the jigsaw it is however still very recognisable as Old Trafford with all the different parts of the stadium being present like the roof, the seating, statues of managers and players outside the stadium, the pitch, the glass and brick exterior and even the train that runs beside the stadium as a bonus and in that sense the makers of the puzzle have done a good job as you are going to immediately recognise the stadium if you already know of it.

The jigsaw doesn't demand tools or glue to assemble it as the pieces simply slot into one another with not much force required in most cases which lessens the chance of the pieces bending or breaking. The pieces do have tabs that are somewhat vulnerable to breaking off and if they do break off it can mean the pieces simply won't go together and the puzzle will be incomplete so you have to be careful not to force the pieces too much when on occasion more force is required to avoid this happening. However, overall without having to use glue means it is more straightforward to put together and there will be less mess made and it's safer.

The drawback of these flat foamboard pieces is that they can't replicate as well the 3D feel and look of the stadium and surrounding area that they possibly could do if they were made of other materials. If it was made from other materials this might allow for the grass to look and feel more authentic or to possibly include more of the minute 3D details of the architecture of the arena which would make it more realistic and feel more 3D and not so 2D as this one feels in parts.

The puzzle is quite large in size both when completed and when separated into its individual pieces and will require a table or a large clear surface area to put it together and keep track of all the pieces it comes with so avoid doing it on a cluttered space and making life more difficult for yourself.

As the puzzle contains a lot of small pieces that can be easily lost make sure you have some way of keeping track of them all especially when you pack it away as you don't want to come back to it many years later and find a piece missing you can't replace and this is not ideal for very small children as they could quite easily swallow these smaller pieces.

The puzzle is one you will want to display when you have completed it but it is quite big so you are going to have to find enough room for it which could be quite tricky and keeping it clean in particular dust is going to be an annoyance and you will have to find the appropriate duster or brush to perform that task that won't push the pieces apart or damage it.

The jigsaw is made from foam board parts which means it is very light in weight even when all put together which makes it easier to carry from one place to the next. This material also means it should keep for a long time if reasonable care is taken particularly when assembling and disassembling it but also storing it away. The jigsaw when completed is structurally sound so will not be knocked over easily or fall apart when carried so you can be rest assured one little knock shouldn't mean the whole puzzle crumbles and you have to start all over again.

Although intended as a single-person activity this could be a great family or group activity in which you work in tandem with somebody else to complete the jigsaw and will mean you can do it in a faster time and could be a more enjoyable experience as a result.

Replayability is going to be low as once you have put it together which is pretty straightforward in itself it is easy to remember how the pieces go together and there is only one way they fit together and not that many pieces to it but I suppose you could try to put it together in a faster time if you want to set yourself a challenge.

The puzzle is not the most difficult as there are relatively few pieces compared to some other 3D jigsaw puzzles and it is pretty obvious where the pieces themselves go. It is really difficult to get stuck with this particular puzzle apart from maybe in which order you construct the puzzle but I think most would obviously work from the base and work upwards. It should only take an afternoon to put it all together or maybe a day at most and if you do get stuck then there is an instruction manual to help you as well as the picture on the box which is really all you should really need.

In conclusion, this is a cool-looking 3D jigsaw puzzle that is obviously ideal for anybody who follows Manchester United closely but is also suitable for those who have a keen interest in landmark structures. It closely replicates the actual look of Old Trafford whilst at the same time offering a decent but rather simplistic 3D jigsaw challenge that won't take too long to complete and once finished with can be used as a decorative piece in the home to show a person's passion for the game but there will need to be a suitable place found for it as it is quite big.